23] he instructs them. They honour powerful men and
tyrants; he punishes them. O, apostolic man, whom so many and so
striking _signs of his apostleship_[624] ennoble! What wonder, then,
if he has wrought wondrous things when he himself is so wonderful? Yet
truly not he but God in him.[625] Moreover, it is said, _Thou art the
God that doest wonders._[626]

45. (25). There was a woman in the city of Coleraine[627] who had a
demon. Malachy was called; he prayed for the possessed; he commanded the
invader and he went out. But his iniquity was not yet fully satisfied,
and he entered into an unhappy woman who happened to be standing by. And
Malachy said, "I did not release that woman from your grasp in order
that you might enter this one; go out of her also." He obeyed, but went
back to the former woman; and driven forth from her once more, he again
went into the second. So for some time he vexed them alternately,
fleeing to and fro. Then the saint, indignant that he was mocked by a
demon, summoned up his spirit, and shouted; and when he had made an
attack on the adversary with all the forces of faith, he drove the demon
away from both, no less vexed than those whom he had vexed. But do not
suppose, reader, that the delay which he caused the saint was due to his
own strength: it was permitted by the divine dispensation, evidently in
order that by this as well the power of the evil one as the victory of
Malachy might be made more manifest.

Hear now what he did elsewhere, but not by reason of his presence.
Assuredly what he had power to accomplish when absent, he could do also
when present.

46. In a district of the northern part of Ireland a sick man lay in his
house. His sickness was beyond doubt due to the evil influence of
demons. For one night he heard them talking; and one said to another,
"See that this wretched man does not touch the bed or bedding of that
hypocrite, and so escape from our hands." The man perceived that they
were speaking of Malachy, who, as he remembered, had not long before
passed a night in that house. And the bedding was still in its place;
and taking courage, with his utmost effort he began to crawl, weak in
body but strong in faith. And lo, in the air there was clamour and
shouting: "Stop him, stop him, hold him, hold him; we are losing our
prey." But, carried on by faith and the desire to escape, the more they
shouted the more he hastened to the remedy, straining with knees and
hands. And whe